The Wilmingtonian., 1887-07-09
There's a Question Here.

N~
the alumni association of the Philadelphia
High School and certain members of the
Board of Education of that city the Duly
Erening Telegraph places itself in position
that will not we think add much to the es-
timation in which that excellent journal is
held by its readers.
The alumni association had sent a CON-
munication to the Board of Education of
Philadelphia which contained the following
statements 'the High School should not be
Subordinate, directly or indirectly, to any
"other institution of learning and that any
'change which, under a pretence of diyid-
sing the curriculum into scientific and
'1iterary course, would render the school
preparatory to something else not part of
''the public school system, would bc SER
''ious injury to that system. would impair
"the position of the High School as its head
''and would be diversion of public funds
'by fitting students for the bey2iit Of pri-
"vate institutions. - Y -
The EOcning Telegraph has different ideas
upon tho common school question and ir,te-
ly says
st is this sort of lang giage, when put
forth by people who profess to represent the
results achieved by High School course,
which give ground for the accusation made
sometimes that the High School is manu-
factory Of doughbakod intellects,"
The above, with due respect to our cotem-
porary, contains much more Of personal
abuse than argument The Ereaing 7Gle-
graph is talking one-sidedly for the adyan-
tage of University education but more plain
ly to the detrment of the common school
system, as may be gathered from the fol-
lowing, quoted from the same article:
''Meu of culture who are not High School
graduates-an there be many such--will
not by large majority agree with the al
umni that il is undesirable that tho High
School, and through it the public school
system of Philadelphia and of Pennsylvania,
should have a direct and intimate connec.
tion with the University of Pennsylvania
and it is childish folly to allude to the Uni
versity as a private institution for whost
| L.. IN, Il .r 4
sion. The real question in this connection
is whether such relations can be established
between the High School and the Universit,
as the most enlightened friends Of both in
stitutions alduntly desire, without impairin
the large usefulness of the High School
| Those who contemplate changes in the cui
a riCulum OF the Broad street institution, wit
, the view of making it a feeder to the Uuivel
sity, are bound to take GaRnizance of tn
fact that the vast majority Of the lads VIII
go to the High School, or who will go to
t for very many years to come, will end the
- schooling thore; while very many Of thcI
= will end it long before they have a chance
complete the regular course, whatever it ma
y be- Now, no sentimetal or other considers
,. tions in connection with the University
" Pennsylvania ought to be permitted in an
= way to interfere with such mOdHs 0perdn
s at the High School as will yield the large
W | honoHt t, Ib,, Ior,rnst nu,nbnr -
The simple argument Of ''tbe create
Y good to the greatest number" shonld bo
. sufficient guide upon the point. 1t has be
brought up so often and SO thoroughly co
IN ned among various communities with the
IL suit til at that there can he no such ALLAN
between the common school system and
IS university that the Tslegnph along wi
IT. other theorists so fondly and with such roi
'n colored pleas would wish to realize.
at No, the millions appropriated in this COZ
an try annually for common school educati
ne cannot be considered for one moment a
supply system for liberal university edu
Is tion. The latter is luxury which the ri,
III est nation the world ever saw is yet not ri
No. enough to confer upon its cit zens-and t
an is what our cotemporary logically wishes
see accomplished,